Water spinach 94 Crazy! Great for detoxification, laxative and blood pressure control~

Recently, a rumor went viral on the Internet that "water spinach contains leeches, and a child died after eating it due to the leeches sucking blood in his body." The Food and Drug Administration has officially clarified the matter and hopes that "rumors will stop with wise people." Although water spinach may seem ordinary, it actually has a very high CP value from the perspective of vegetable nutrition. Nutritionists say that it contains a lot of dietary fiber and potassium, which can help prevent constipation and reduce the risk of high blood pressure.

FDA: Water spinach will not have leech problems

The Food and Drug Administration of the Ministry of Health and Welfare stated that most of the water spinach in Taiwan is grown using a dry farming method, so there should not be a problem with leeches. In addition, the surface of water spinach is tightly sealed from the root to the stem, so leeches do not drill holes and cannot enter. In addition, Taiwanese people are accustomed to frying water spinach before eating it, so even if leeches accidentally appear in the vegetables, it is difficult for them to survive after high-temperature cooking, not to mention that they can enter the human body and suck blood and cause death.

Water spinach is rich in crude fiber and promotes intestinal peristalsis

Nutritionist Cai Yixuan said that when talking about the nutritional value of water spinach, the first is that the dietary fiber content is not low, containing 2.1 grams per 100 grams. Although it is far less than the burdock, fungus, shiitake mushrooms, etc. that are ranked at the top, it is higher than wild rice shoots, alfalfa sprouts asparagus, bitter melon, etc. It can increase stool volume, promote gastrointestinal motility, and prevent constipation. Water spinach is rich in crude fiber, which is composed of cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, mucilage and pectin. It has the effects of promoting intestinal peristalsis, relieving constipation and detoxification, and removing bad breath.

The Chinese people’s dietary fiber intake is insufficient, far less than half of the recommended intake. How much dietary fiber should you eat every day? In fact, there are no strict standards yet, but it is generally recommended to consume about 25 to 35 grams a day. For children and adolescents under 18 years old, the recommended dietary fiber intake abroad is age plus 5. For example, for a 12-year-old child, the daily dietary fiber intake is 17 grams, but the maximum should not exceed 20 grams.

The nutritional value of water spinach is, first of all, its dietary fiber content is not low, which can increase stool volume, promote gastrointestinal motility, and prevent constipation.

Water spinach is a cold food. People with weak constitution, cold spleen and stomach, and loose stools should eat less.

Eating an empty stomach is a high-potassium food that helps stabilize blood pressure

In addition, hollow apples are also high-potassium foods, containing about 400 mg per 100 grams, second only to Sichuan peppers, spinach, etc. Potassium is an important mineral and electrolyte. Many research data show that adequate potassium intake can help reduce the risk of stroke, high blood pressure, osteoporosis and kidney stones. Supplementing sufficient potassium ions is the hero behind controlling blood pressure. It is recommended to maintain a "low sodium and high potassium" diet to help stabilize blood pressure and prevent it from soaring.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the recommended daily intake of potassium for adult men and women is 4,700 mg.

Water spinach has a high potassium content. Patients with renal failure and hyperkalemia should pay attention to their daily consumption to avoid excessive potassium ions in the blood, which can lead to arrhythmia and greatly increase the risk of sudden death in patients. Therefore, it is recommended that people with kidney health concerns blanch the food before eating, then mix or stir-fry it with oil to reduce most of the potassium ions.

Tips for choosing water spinach

Nutritionist Cai Yixuan recommends that when choosing water spinach, one should choose one that is whole and intact, green in color without yellow spots, and without fibrous roots or rot. This is because the growth of a large number of fibrous roots and sprouts from the nodes usually means that the water spinach is old and has coarse fibers that are difficult to eat.

Water spinach is a cold food, so people with weak constitution should eat less

According to traditional Chinese medicine books, water spinach is a cold food. People with weak constitution, cold spleen and stomach, and loose stools should eat less of it. Because water spinach is cold in nature, people with weak constitution and poor gastrointestinal function can easily suffer from diarrhea if they eat too much.